


Retail Hell

by darktensh17



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Retail, Awkward Flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-15 15:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3452897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darktensh17/pseuds/darktensh17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Follow Fenris into the depths of retail hell and all the interesting people he meets there, all the while trying to start a relationship with Hawke</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Don't be that guy

**Author's Note:**

> I had no idea what to title this. Maybe I'll make it a series or something with Fenris working retail.

Fenris felt his eye twitch as he watched the bearded dark haired man take out another shirt, hold it up to himself and then put it back on the pile without folding it back up. It would not have been such an issue if it wasn’t the tenth shirt he’d done that with in the last twenty minutes. To make it worse, he kept glancing at Fenris out of the corner of his eyes as he did it, almost as though he were taunting him.

He had to remind himself that he needed this job, and throttling customers was a good way to lose it. If the economy were better, and he was not desperate to get out of his sister’s place so desperately, he may actually consider kicking the man out. The fact that the man was over a head taller than him and twice as bulky, didn’t matter one bit.

As he watched the man moved over to a jeans display, one that Fenris had only finished folding an hour before and began the same process all over again. As he picked up the first pair of jeans, his eyes met Fenris’ before quickly looking away.

That was it! Fenris’ fists clenched at his side as he squared his shoulders and made his way over to the man. “Is there something you need help with sir?” He ground out in an overly sweet tone between clenched teeth, attempting a smile.

The man seemed to deflate under Fenris’ glare, shifting from one foot to the other. It was not difficult to tell that he was nervous. Fenris’ eyes narrowed; perhaps he wasn’t just an annoyance but attempting to steal as well. There would be no stealing on his shift.

“Um… that is… I-I do!” The man practically shouted, causing Fenris to flinch. “I am in need of some expert opinion on which shirt will look best on me!” He almost seemed pleased with himself for the response.

Fenris merely raised an eyebrow; this man was either a very clever thief or a bumbling idiot. Until Fenris figured out what his aim was, he was still a customer and had to be treated with respect. “This is not my area of expertise, but I will attempt to aid you as best I can.”

Expression brightening, the man went back over to the shirt display he had already made a mess of, and began to dig through the piles once again. “Wonderful! I’m looking for something casual, but not too casual; I don’t want to look like a bum, maybe even semi-formal?”

“Is there a particular reason or event that you require the shirt for?” Fenris replied with a roll of his eyes while the man wasn’t looking. Casual and semi-formal were two completely different types of clothing, even he knew that.

“Garrett.” Was the reply he got, along with a look his way and what appeared to be an attempt at a coy smile. “And I need it for a date this week.”

Ignoring the offered name, Fenris pressed for more details. Ask questions and listen, his supervisor Donnic had drilled into him. You can’t help the customer if you don’t know what they’re looking for! And don’t forget to smile!

Forcing another smile onto his face as Garrett turned to him, Fenris attempted to put Donnic’s lesson into practice despite his desire to shove one of the shirts down the throat of the man standing before him. “What sort of place will you be bringing your date to?”

“That depends, what sort of places do you prefer for a first date?” Garrett asked, shoulders squared and chest puffed out slightly as he stared down at Fenris, his expression half-way between suave and hopeful.

Fenris blinked, jaw going slack, blinked again, and then turned and walked back to the counter unable to handle whatever had just happened. He didn’t even noticed Garrett following after him nervously and standing in front of the counter.

When he finally did take the man’s proximity to him, he could only blink. Garrett looked down out him like a kicked puppy, not that Fenris had ever kicked a dog before. “I’m sorry, was that too much? I-I’m not really good at this, and you’re terribly attractive. I’ve been walking by every day since you started, well since Donnic told me about you starting. His girlfriend is my best friend and we hang out a lot. And I am babbling.” The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth before stopping abruptly.

It took a moment to process everything that Garret had just said; Fenris was not accustomed to speaking with people who essentially vomited their words. “Donnic told you about me?”

Garrett nodded quickly. “He thought that maybe we would get along well. He was going to try and get us to meet, but I decided to take matters into my own hands. I should have known better, I’ve been told I’m a terrible flirt.”

Despite the fact that Garrett had made a mess of two displays, and was in fact a terrible flirt, there was something oddly charming about him. Despite himself, Fenris was intrigued and flattered. “You may help me refold the shirts that you made a mess of.” He began, staring up into Garrett’s dark, expressive blue eyes. “If you do an acceptable job I will allow you to take me out to coffee when my shift ends.”

Fenris had never seen what one could describe as a dopey grin until he watched Garrett’s face light up and smile that stretched over it. “I’ll be the best shirt folder ever!” He grabbed the first shirt off the pile and began folding it rather incorrectly but with great exuberance.

Fenris shook his head and fought back a chuckle as he followed after Garrett, intent on showing him how to do it correct. If nothing else he had help in dealing with the mess and he would get a free coffee out of it.


	2. What's in a Dream?

Fenris tapped a pencil against the cash distractedly; his mind currently on his most recent coffee meeting with one Garrett Hawke. Despite Fenris’ annoyance about how he had come into the store one night and made a mess of the clothes, all so that he could ask Fenris out, Fenris found himself enjoying their meetings. He would never admit it to Donnic, who had been responsible for setting them up, in a roundabout way.

They’d only gone on three coffee meetings so far, with a fourth tonight after Fenris finished work. Fenris wouldn’t call them dates, but he was hoping that a true date was in their future. The fact that this was at the forefront of his mind at work was also something that Fenris would never admit to anyone. He felt like a school girl mooning over her crush. 

Sighing in annoyance at his own train of thought, he stood up straighter, looking around to ensure that none of his coworkers had noticed his lapse in attention. Lucky for him there were only two other people working in the store; the ever happy and spacey Merrill and the saucy Isabela who worked over in lingerie. 

Isabela noticed him looking and offered him a wink and a blown kiss before returning her attention to the nervous young man she was helping him pick out some lacy undergarments. Fenris wondered if it was for someone else of himself; it wasn’t such an unusual occurrence for them to get all manner of customers. For Donnic all that mattered was that their customers were happy with the product and service. 

Sometimes offering good customer service was more difficult than it had to be; there were customers who seemed to make everything more difficult. Since he hadn’t been fired yet, Fenris assumed that he was doing a good enough job of appeasing customers if not making them happy. 

When the bell over the store’s door jingled, signalling a customer, Fenris straightened up and turned to smiled at the young man who entered. “Welcome to Fashionnics, Fashions by Donnic.” Donnic, Fenris had learned, despite being a good clothing designer and shop owner, was not very creative in naming things.

The blonde man nodded his way, and hurried further into the store, clearly intent on something. Fenris watched him with a raised eyebrow but didn’t follow after him, deciding that he would check on him in a short time. He was the only one at the cash at the moment and there were a few people who looked to be ready to check out.

When a lady with an armful of discounted shirts came over to him, Fenris fought back a grimace hoping that someone had remembered to actually put the new prices in the system before they’d ticketed all of the items. He had the authority to do price changes, Donnic was trusting of all his staff, but it was not only an inconvenience but a pain in the ass. 

Forcing a smile he began to scan the items, considering murdering someone but unsurprised when they didn’t scan at the same price that was listed on the tag. The woman began to shout at him about the prices even as he tried to assure her that he would change the prices to the correct amounts.

Forty five minutes later he’d solved the price issue and checked out several other people, all without seeing the blonde from earlier come back. It wasn’t unusual for someone to spend over an hour in the store, but Fenris usually at least saw them moving through the store. Checking to see that there was no one else nearby that looked as though they were heading to checkout; Fenris went in search of the young man.

He found him looking through the pants in desperation. “Is there anything that I can do to help you?”

“Feynriel,” The young man muttered distractedly, apparently used to giving out his name to other people. 

Shrugging to himself mentally, Fenris tried again. “Is there anything that I can help you with Feynriel?”

That seemed to catch his attention and he jerked up to look at Fenris with wild eyes. “Yes! I can’t find the pants I’m looking for!”

“Can you describe them to me?” Fenris was familiar with most of their products and was confident he could help Feynriel find what he was looking for.

Feynriel brightened at that. “Their blue, lights weight, and they have a red flower design around the bottom.” His hands moved as though he were shaping out the design of the pants and what they looked like to Fenris.

“I can’t think of pants like that in stock right now, but I’ll go and in the back; if you’ll wait a moment.” Fenris told him, though he was certain that they didn’t have any pants, or products even, that matched the description. Donnic was a bit eccentric but he had taste at least.

A quick trip to their storage room confirmed Fenris’ doubts about the existence of those specific dreams. He even checked a list of incoming clothing designs with no luck. That didn’t mean the pants in question did not exist however.

“Did you see it online?” He asked as he came out of the backroom. “We don’t carry the whole collection here.” There was always the possibility that it was an exclusive item available online only or that it was a preview for something to come out in the future. 

“No, I had a dream I bought it here.” Feynriel exclaimed, his eyes burning into Fenris’ with a disturbing fervour. “You MUST carry it! My dreams are prophetic!”

Fenris felt a muscle under his eye twitch as he tried to process Feynriel’s response and just how he was supposed to handle the situation. “It seems as though we do not have the pants at this time. Perhaps you should continue to monitor our online store to until the item you dreamed of comes out.” He managed to say with a straight face.

Feynriel beamed at that ad took his hands, pumping them in an excited handshake. “You’re right! I may be here too soon! My dream didn’t tell me if the pants were here yet, only that I could get them here! Thank you! I’ll come in again when you have them!” He released Fenris’ hands and waved as he left the store. 

Fenris shook his head; Fashionnics attracted some of the oddest people. It was almost the end of his shift and Fenris was excited to meet up with Hawke to tell him about his interesting customer. If nothing else he would get a laugh out of the other man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was originally trying to name Donnic’s store the my first thought was “Muttonchops by Design.” My friend suggested Fashionnis, Fashions by Donnic.  
> This chapter based on: http://notalwaysright.com/retail-nightmares/40756

**Author's Note:**

> So it seems a series is something people may want. Should I focus on Fenris' bad retail experience, make this a romance fic of Fenris and Hawke getting together, or a little bit of both? Something else entirely? Let me know what you guys would like to see ^^


End file.
